Heart Of Podness

We're finishing up our spookiest month with a look at the 2000 horror parody film Scary Movie.  Join in as we discuss iconic taglines, the parody films of the 2000s, many unfortunate jokes, and the crucial difference between comedy and reference.  Plus: Where did Scary Movie fit into the 2000 box office? How is it connected to those other parodies? What would a Gladiator sequel be about? And, most importantly, is cereal soup?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Robin Hood (2018) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We're dipping out toes into the slasher genre for a look at the many doomed romances of the 1980 camp classic Friday the 13th.  Join in as we discuss camp counselors, our experience with slasher movies, Betsy Palmer's performance, and the rules of strip monopoly.  Plus: Why has this movie entered the queer cinema canon? Why did screenwriter Victor Miller disavow the sequels? And was Camp Crystal Lake a Jesus camp, or was it just the 1950s?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Scary Movie (2000) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We're headed back into movie theaters for a look at Stephen Chbosky's would-be Oscar contender Dear Evan Hansen, starring twenty-eight year-old Ben Platt in the teenage role that won him a Tony Award several years ago.  Join in as we discuss school assemblies, the film's strengths and weaknesses as an adaptation, the story's clumsy handling of mental illness, and our star songwriters Pasek and Paul.  Plus: How big is Evan's school? Why does Evan email the suicide note? Why exactly does Zoe like Evan? How late into the plot will we try to shift the start of the movie? And, most critically, is anyone actually found?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Friday the 13th (1980) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We're kicking off October with a movie that starts out funny and then turns into a harrowing thriller: Jonathan Demme's 1986 road movie Something Wild, starring Jeff Daniels, Melanie Griffith, and one of the first appearances of Ray Liotta.  Join in as we discuss the best state flags, 80s New York on film, and the career of director Jonathan Demme.  Plus: What exactly is the Christmas Club? Why did writer E. Max Frye win an Edgar Award for this movie? Should Will start wearing suspenders? And, most importantly, what does Marc do when he has to go to the bathroom during a movie?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Dear Evan Hansen (2021) - only in theaters!!! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

In their latest foray into made-for-TV movies, Will and Marc join the #POstables to look at the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries US Postal Service mystery/romance The Road Less Traveled, the tenth(?) movie in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series.  Join in as they discuss inappropriate workplace relationships, the career of series creator Martha Williamson, the Dove Awards, and hereditary uncoolness.  Plus: Is Oliver a replicant? Why did they stop so many times along the way? Does anyone know what to do with their hands? And how do you pronounce POstables, anyway?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Something Wild (1986) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We take a number of historical tangents as we're transported to ancien regime France in Stephen Frears's 1988 adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich, and Michelle Pfeiffer.  Join in as we discuss Close's unstoppable 1980s, a delightful Peter Capaldi, Flavor of Love, and Barbra Streisand's secret mall.  Plus: Are these the worst people we've ever talked about? What do nobles do with their free time? And do we have any command of the character names in this movie?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Road Less Traveled (2018) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

For our 200th episode, we're taking a look at a supersized love story in the 2009 DreamWorks Animation genre parody Monsters vs. Aliens, starring Reese Witherspoon and a host of other famous people. Join in as we discuss Seth Rogen's standout performance, the movie's late-Bush-era comedy, some surprise Wegtent, and the return of some long-lost segments. Plus: Why does Derek move so weirdly? Could this have been a live-action masterpiece? How did DWA chief Jeffrey Katzenberg simultaneously champion and destroy 3D filmmaking? And, of course, does Marc remember a single movie we've covered on this show? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

We return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the first time in 191 episodes for a look at Kenneth Branagh's 2011 franchise starter Thor! Join in as we discuss the arrival of Chris Hemsworth, the Odinsleep, the secret history of Donald Blake, and the franchise-dominated 2011 box office. Plus: Why did Anthony Hopkins take the role of Odin? How long has Jane had Dr. Blake's old shirt? What's the difference between the MCU's two glowing blue boxes? And, most importantly, what's the gayest Marvel movie? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)

The summer's ending, so we're taking a look at the unbelievable romance of the 1995 back to school comedy Billy Madison, starring Adam Sandler in his first lead role.  Join in as we discuss Sandler's departure from SNL, the movie's long life on VHS, its lazy handling of queer people, and, of course, our favorite literary commentaries on industrialization.  Plus: Has Sandler ever been drunk in real life? How are all the students white? Has Billy ever had sex? And why does he want the hotel job anyway?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Thor (2011) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

This week we're taking a look at the romance between two parents in John Berry's 1974 rom-dram-edy Claudine, starring Diahann Carroll in an Oscar-nominated performance alongside James Earl Jones. Join in as we discuss Third World Cinema, the movie's portrayal of the welfare system, our favorite bus sequences, and the tragic circumstances that led to Carroll's casting. Plus: What are the rules of street dice? Do paddywagons always have open doors? And is it normal for bars to have Gospel choirs? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Billy Madison (1995)

It's time for vaudeville shenanigans as we look at the second Marx Brothers film, 1930's Animal Crackers.  Join in as we discuss iconic jokes, Groucho's facial hair, Harpo's antics, Top Gun, and the dry performance of Margaret Dumont.  Plus: Does anyone really know how to play bridge? Why does Mrs. Rittenhouse own so many knives? How did a college activist group save this movie? And why exactly is this movie called Animal Crackers anyway?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Claudine (1974) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

In honor of her impending nuptials, we welcome all-star guest #FiFiFierce back to the podcast to talk about the surprisingly limited romance of Charles Shyer's 1991 remake of Father of the Bride.  Join in as we discuss the respective careers of Shyer and his then-wife Nancy Meyers, middle-aged Diane Keaton, architecture school, dumb traditions, and animals at weddings.  Plus: Does George not realize he's rich? Why are the bride's parents paying for in-laws' intercontinental flights? How did all the snow melt? When will we finally cover High School Musical 3? And, most importantly, will Fiona ever acknowledge that 1991 was kind of a long time ago?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Animal Crackers (1930) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We're looking at one of Clint Eastwood's many roles about being just too old (or maybe just old enough) to get the job done in the 2012 father-daughter baseball movie Trouble with the Curve, starring Eastwood alongside Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake as an afterthought romantic pair. Join in as we discuss this movie's position as the anti-Moneyball, a major plagiarism lawsuit, clogging, and Dear Evan Hansen. Plus: Did Clint's character kill that guy? How long can he play these characters? How did Johnny know to be at that gate? And what the heck was going on with Eastwood in general in 2012? Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe! Next week: Father of the Bride (1991)

We're headed back to the turn of the twentieth century to talk about the implausible romance of Michael Curtiz's 1942 musical biopic Yankee Doodle Dandy, starring James Cagney in an Oscar-winning performance as Broadway legend George M. Cohan.  Join in as we discuss the US flag code, an accidentally hilarious proposal, a very silly framing device, and the movie's absolute aversion to conflict.  Plus: Why did gangster star Cagney agree to do this movie? Why did Cohan's real-life wife sue the production? Did anyone give Johnny Jones's regards to Broadway? And, most importantly, was George really born on the Fourth of July?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Trouble with the Curve (2012) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We're headed into the serververse (and not, as the title would suggest, to space) for a look at the scant romance of the newly-released Space Jam: A New Legacy - now in theaters and on HBO Max.  Join in as we discuss the year in film so far, LeBron vs Jordan, the failed attempts to make a Space Jam sequel in the past, and the one joke we both liked.  Plus: Why did Will's audience applaud this movie? What exactly does the villainous Al G. Rhythm want? How is there no mention of HBO Max in the movie? And what will it take for us to subscribe to Paramount+?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We're talking big business and bigger hair as we look at the romance of Mike Nichols's 1988 hit Working Girl, starring Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, and Melanie Griffith (in that order, according to the credits).  Join in as we discuss Valium, the Bob's Burgers musical of this movie, the Oscar-winning score by Carly Simon, Alec Baldwin's breakout year, and, of course, CBS's Blue Bloods. Plus: Is Cameron the victim of Ferris Bueller's Day Off? Which performance is Harrison Ford's hottest? How did Kevin Spacey get this typecast? And, most importantly, is Katherine a #girlboss?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Space Jam: A New Legacy (in theaters and on HBO Max this Friday!) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

This Independence Day, we're finally cracking open the book as we look at two rekindled romances in the 2007 Disney sequel National Treasure: Book of Secrets.  Join in as we discuss Mount Vernon kidnappings, Samuel Mudd, the saga of the still-unproduced National Treasure 3, and Christian youth basketball.  Plus: When did Patrick and Emily split up? Should Abigail be fired? Should the royal family sue Disney? Is G-Force worth a watch? And, most importantly, what's on page 47?!?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Working Girl (1988) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

We're diving into a decade of discourse as we attempt to untangle the relative culpability of Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel's characters in the failure of their relationship in 2009's (500) Days of Summer.  Join in as we discuss the movie's tangled legacy, director Marc Webb's filmography, the cultural dominance of the Wii, and the cultural non-dominance of the Microsoft Zune.  Plus: What's the deal with Jenny Beckman? What happened to Beyoncé's acting career? How far did Chloe Grace Moretz's character have to bike? And, most importantly, have greeting cards destroyed our emotional honest?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

Marc gets it: Bong Joon-ho's debut feature, Barking Dogs Never Bite, is about someone who murders dogs to get them to shut up.  Join in as he and Will discuss dog deaths, basement people, Jupiter Ascending, and artistic filmmaking on a shoestring budget.  Plus: Which Disney animals are sentient? Do dog birthdays matter? Should Independence Day be considered of a piece with the Garry Marshall holiday movies? And, most importantly, how do you pronounce the title of the film mother!?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: (500) Days of Summer (2009) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message

Of all this movie's possible titles, the tabloid-sounding one they chose was clearly the best - it's what got us to watch Rene Clair's 1942 Veronica Lake vehicle I Married a Witch!  Join in as we discuss hereditary curses, Lake's short but iconic career (including her unbelievable final film), great visual effects, and, once again, the madness that is Never Been Kissed.  Plus: Do witch burnings usually have intermissions? How did Lake's iconic hairdo lead to wartime injuries? Why did censors object to the film? And just what did the witches do while they were trapped in the tree?  Make sure to rate, review, and subscribe!  Next week: Barking Dogs Never Bite (2000) --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/we-love-the-love/message